


Sweet Like Cherry Pie

by leafbaby



Category: Mumintroll | Moomins Series - Tove Jansson
Genre: Human AU, M/M, Modern AU, Mutual Pining, Trans Snusmumriken | Snufkin, farmer au, runaway snufkin, the moomins are farmers and its beautiful
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-05-19 11:51:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19356481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leafbaby/pseuds/leafbaby
Summary: At the picturesque Moominvalley Farm, Moomin discovers that his eggs are not being stolen by a fox, but by a handsome young runway.





	1. Chapter 1

The sun rose over the beautiful, picturesque Moominvalley, casting rays of golden light as it peaked up over the mountains. A new day had begun, and it was time to get started. 

Moomin was used to this routine by now, dragging himself out of bed and heading downstairs to the kitchen. His Mamma was already busy, bustling about the kitchen. "Oh, Moomin dear, mind going out and fetching the eggs?"

"I got it," Moomin mumbled sleepily, slipping into his boots, grabbing his basket and heading outside into the crisp morning air. It was still a bit foggy out, but not so thick that Moomin couldn't see his way from the house to the chicken coop. "Good morning, ladies!" He called in before opening the door, greeted by a dozen hens clucking and cooing at him. He opened the hatch to release them from the interior part of the coop into the mesh run so they could all go and explore and see what bugs had emerged overnight while he collected the eggs. Instead of the dozen he was expecting, there were only ten for the third day in a row. Puzzled and concerned, Moomin gathered the eggs and returned to the house. 

"We're at a loss for eggs again," Moomin stated as he placed the basket down on the kitchen counter. "I'm worried some of the ladies might not be feeling well."

Mamma took the basket, moving to the stove where she already had a frying pan all warmed up. "I'm sure they'll be alright, but we'll keep an eye on them. Three eggs for breakfast?"

"As usual." Moomin took his seat on the stool as his mother began to fry the eggs. "It's just… these are my chickens, you know? Me and Pappa built that coop ourselves, it was one of the first big things I made! I'm worried…"

"These things have a way of sorting themselves out, but I'll keep an eye on them regardless. If anyone's acting strange we'll get the vet out here."

"Thanks, Mamma." Moomin felt comforted, resting his cheek against the counter as he waited for his breakfast. 

\--

Night settled over the farm, and from Moomin's window he could see just about all of it. The lines and lines of cherry trees in the distance, the paddock with Linda the cow, Mamma's veggie patch, the barn and his beloved chicken coop. It had been a hard day of work, and tomorrow was sure to be the same but after an afternoon of closely watching the chickens as they scratched around the home yard, he was just about certain that nothing was wrong with them. All of them looked like happy, healthy, perfect little ladies. Which could mean that something was taking the eggs, but what would do that? Most predators would prefer to just eat a chicken, and he'd patched that coop up with so much wire, mesh and board over the years nothing was getting in. Unless maybe Pappa was fetching and cooking the eggs in the middle of the night? 

He continued to ponder, chin resting on the windowsill when he saw something move. A shape, a person? Someone was walking towards his hens. 

Pinned to the spot, Moomin watched as the person ever-so-quietly opened the door to the coop, slipping inside. An egg thief!!! He sprang into action, running downstairs in his pyjamas and stopping only to slip his boots on. 

By the time he made it outside the coop door was already closed again and the thief was running towards the barn. "HEY!" Moomin called, running after him as fast as he could. This thief was much faster, a blur of baggy clothing as they ducked behind the barn with Moomin trailing behind. 

Out of breath, Moomin leaned against the old door, catching his breath for a moment before heading inside. He had to stand his ground, assert his dominance and protect his precious ladies! He grabbed the nearest thing he could - a rake - and went back into the night. 

"I don't know who you are, but you better leave my hens alone!" He shouted, gripping the wooden handle tight in his hands. He was scared now, the moon's light drifting behind a cloud, casting the scene in darkness. "I-if you hurt one of them I'll--"

"... Wasn't gonna hurt 'em."

The voice was quiet, coming from the old fig tree. Moomin whipped around, pointing the business-end of his rake up into the branches. "Well why were you in there?? They could have gotten out! You know we have foxes 'round here!"

"I was just hungry."

Moomin lowered his makeshift weapon, trying to squint against the darkness. "... What?"

The voice came again. "You didn't have a lock and eggs are easy to cook. I left plenty for you."

"Well… we eat a lot of eggs. If you're hungry I can make you a sandwich or something. My name's Moomin." Setting the rake on the ground, Moomin extended a hand upward, as if to shake the stranger's. 

There was a long pause before the stranger spoke again. "... I'm Snufkin. But I don't want a sandwich."

"We've got some pasta leftovers too, and lots of fruit. No sense on you stealing my eggs when we have much better food inside. Hop down from that tree."

"I'd rather stay up here, thanks."

"... Are you going to keep stealing my eggs?"

"Maybe."

"What if I brought you something else? I take lunches out all the time when I'm working, I don't think Mamma would notice if I took extra tomorrow."

"If I say yes, will you leave me alone?"

"Yes."

"Then I will have a sandwich."

Moomin smiled, "Great! I'll be right back!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey whats up i haven't attempted to write a multichap fic since 2013 so uhhh lets see how this goes! I have many ideas for this AU!! I would like to do more with it so here's hoping my motivation engine doesn't conk out lmao
> 
> also just gonna say that this whole fic may have a flavour of rural Australian life because I cannot deny my roots!
> 
> follow my tumblr @leafo-supreme thanks lads


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> somehow this ended up being twice as long as the first chapter. Why? I don't know! Better get used to inconsistency lmao

Moomin jogged back to the house, thoughts turning like cogs in his mind. Had he really just let this egg thief get away with this crime? Well, being hungry wasn't a crime, and if the eggs were going to someone who truly needed them he didn't really mind. As long as he stopped stealing once Moomin gave him some real food it would be alright. 

Moomin turned on the light in the walk-in pantry instead of the kitchen, just in case his parents were still awake. He could imagine Pappa trying to talk some kind of sense into him for giving food away to strange egg-thieves and he didn't need to hear that right now. Right now he needed bread, ham, cheese, lettuce and tomato, stacked neatly and sliced diagonally, placed in one of the plastic boxes Moomin used to use to take his sandwiches to school. 

"Snufkin?" He called out into the night, carrying the sandwich box in his hands. It was only now, standing between the barn and the fig tree, that Moomin realised the sandwich thing may have been a cover for the thief's escape. Feeling a sinking feeling in his chest, he called again. And again. Finally, he heard a voice from the barn. "I'm in here!"

Relief flooded his spirit and Moomin followed the quiet voice into the barn, seeing light spilling from the loft. Moomin used to build cubby houses up there as a child, the ladder up still tied with bits of coloured rope and yarn. He climbed his way up, tucking the box under his chin. At the top sat a boy wearing a massive hoodie covered in dirt and holes, with greasy hair that hung about his ears and dark eyes that flickered under the light of the candle. The loft had been rearranged, with a makeshift bed made out of hay and an animal blanket and a little cooking station set up with a beaten up camp hotplate and a small saucepan. The boy, Snufkin, was eating scrambled eggs off the saucepan's lid with a bent fork. 

"Hi," Moomin said, holding out the sandwich box, which Snufkin immediately took. "Have you been… living here?"

"Just for a few days. I'll probably leave in the morning, though." Snufkin set aside his makeshift plate, opening the sandwich box. He bit into it, making a noise as if a simple ham sandwich was the best thing he'd ever eaten. It was gone surprisingly quick, Moomin watching on just in case he had to step in and perform the Heimlich manoeuvre.

Seeing someone so hungry made Moomin uneasy. He couldn't sit by. "Well you don't have to leave straight away. Tomorrow's market day so Mamma and Pappa are gonna be out all day, I can fake sick to get out of it and I'll make you a real meal. Mamma's been teaching me, I'm getting quite good!"

Snufkin paused to consider the offer, looking at the empty sandwich container. "I think I'll do that."

* * *

Moomin had struggled to get to sleep after his run-in with the egg thief late last night, so he didn't have to play up feeling unwell too much. His Mamma and Pappa were already awake when he came downstairs, filling crates with Mamma's homemade jam and other products from around the farm. 

Startled by her son's sudden and woeful appearance, Mamma set down the crate she was carrying. "Oh, my dear, you look ghastly. Are you okay?" She cupped Moomin's face in her hands, getting a better look at the dark bags under his eyes.

"Can I skip market this week? I'm not feeling too good… I’ve got a nasty headache, and I think I'd rather go back to bed." Moomin played up just a little, letting his head relax into his mother's comforting hands. 

“Oh, of course dear.” Mamma gave him a kiss on his forehead. “I’ll make some tea for you.”

“Oh, no that’s okay, I think I just need sleep.” Moomin took a step back, giving a little wave as he climbed back up the stairs. “Say hi to Sniff and Snorkmaiden for me if you see them!”

With market day successfully cancelled, now all that was left to do was wait. Moomin laid back down in bed, listening for the sound of his parent’s old truck sputtering away. It seemed like forever, though the clock on his bedside table told him it was only twenty minutes. After waiting another five, just in case Pappa forgot his glasses or something again, he got out of bed, put on some clothes and went out to the barn.

* * *

Snufkin felt strange. Anxious was probably the right word. It had been quite a while since he’d talked to someone, especially someone as interesting as this Moomin character. He certainly hadn’t been expecting to be treated to some actual food and a promise of more food after being caught stealing, but he supposed pity could make people do very strange things. Still, he wasn’t about to starve in the woods when someone was offering to cook for him. 

The sounds of that Moomin boy snapped him out of his sleepless musings, sitting bolt upright in the loft of the barn. He grabbed his already packed bag, slipped on his muddy old trainers and climbed down the ladder, exiting the barn. 

“Snufkin! I’m glad you hadn’t left. I was worried you’d’ve taken off.” In the daylight this boy was almost blinding, with a smile as bright as the sun. Snufkin averted his gaze as he always did, following Moomin back towards the house. 

It was a beautiful old thing, painted blue with a red-tiled roof, and the circular shape wasn’t something Snufkin had seen a lot on his travels. Moomin opened the kitchen door for him, holding it open and leading him into a brand new world. Inside everything was pristine, like a still-life painting, right down to the bowl of fruit on the counter. Snufkin felt positively out of place here, dressed in the same hoodie and jeans he’d worn for weeks. 

Moomin, however, complimented this scene perfectly, heading straight to the fridge. “Hmm, looks like Mamma made some scones earlier, but I imagine you’ll want something a bit heartier if you’ve been eating nothing but eggs… I’m really only good at making pasta so far, if you aren’t fussed.”

“Pasta sounds good.” Snufkin nodded, watching as Moomin got straight to work preparing the ingredients. He wasn’t really sure what to do with himself. He didn’t want to get anything dirty by sitting down, but standing in the doorway felt unnecessarily awkward, even for him. “Moomin?”

“Yes?” He looked up from the onion he was very carefully chopping. 

“Could I borrow your shower?”

“Oh, of course! Nothing like a good hot shower. Follow me,” Moomin set down the kitchen knife, leading Snufkin up the stairs. The walls of the stairwell were decorated with photos of Moomin and presumably his parents during various points in their lives, birthdays and parties and happy memories. It made Snufkin’s chest ache. 

“Alright, the bathroom’s just in here,” Moomin led the way into a doorway off the landing, into a bathroom filled with pink and tiles painted with roses. It was gaudy, but somewhat comforting, like something he’d expect from a grandmother’s house. Moomin grabbed a towel and washer out of a cabinet, placing them beside the sink. “If you want, I can wash your clothes for you too.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.” Snufkin really wanted to accept the offer, but it wasn’t like he had anything clean to change into. He did have some spare underwear, but it was in need of a wash too. 

“It’s no bother, really. I can probably find something that'll fit you to wear in the meantime. No point having a shower just to put dirty clothes back on."

That was a very fair point, as much as it bothered Snufkin. He nodded. "Alright, I've got some other stuff in my bag that needs washing. I'll sort it out after I shower though."

"Okay, I'll leave some clothes on the doorknob for you, just bring it downstairs when you're done, okay?" Moomin gave him a little wave as he left the bathroom, heading down a hallway and disappearing. 

Snufkin closed and locked the door, feeling relief in taking off this dirty clothes. He didn't usually mind, but the hay he'd been sleeping on made him itchy, and the warm weather of spring turning to summer certainly wasn't helping in the sweat department. He turned on the hot water before stripping down completely, testing the temperature before hopping in.

Sweet relief. Although he loved bathing in nature, there was nothing like the feeling of warm water on his tired skin. He stood under the stream for a long time, simply letting the warmth coat his body and soothe his aches. He would have stayed that way forever, if he hadn't been snapped out of his trance by the sound of Moomin shouting through the door.

"Got your clothes! Should fit decently enough, come downstairs once you're done!"

That's right, he had a job to do. He started with his hair, spending far too much time detangling all the knots he'd amassed over the past few weeks, then moved onto his body. He felt a little ashamed watching how the water turned dark as it swirled down the drain, but no matter. This was far from the worst thing he’d experienced in his time as a vagabond. 

Now nice and clean and ready for some food (the smell of which was wafting upstairs), Snufkin carefully unlocked the bathroom door, groping around wildly until his hand met soft fabric, pulling it inside and quickly shutting the door again. Moomin had chosen a large hoodie, which Snufkin was quite comfortable with and grateful for, as well as some rather old pyjama pants patterned with… He wasn’t well versed on internet culture, but he was certain he’d seen that weird square cat somewhere before. 

The hoodie covered him all the way to mid-thigh and fit around him like a tent, which he supposed was only fair given his size compared to Moomin, who was quite large. Perhaps he could steal it and have his perfect one-man sleeping arrangement sorted, but it felt rather wrong to steal from someone who had been so kind. Maybe if he asked nicely. The pants fit a lot better, but were still rather baggy. Thankfully the drawstring meant Snufkin could tie them tight around his hips so they wouldn’t fall off. He was sure he looked ridiculous, but that didn’t matter. He bundled up his previous outfit and the dirty clothes from his backpack, taking them downstairs. 

Moomin was hard at work in the kitchen, stirring two pots on the stove simultaneously with such gusto Snufkin couldn’t help but chuckle. Moomin turned at the sound, giving another of those radiant smiles. “Wow! You look… good. Um, sorry about the pants though, I had to find something from when I was younger, before I got so…” He gestured to his very round physique. “Unfortunately my nyan cat pants from when I was twelve were the only thing I could find.”

“They’re fine, don’t worry.” Snufkin gestured to the bundle of laundry in his arms. “Can I uh…?”

“Oh! Yes, of course, just let me…” Moomin turned off the stove burners before leading the way to the laundry room. It was rather plain, with a load of laundry on the floor waiting to be washed and a bucket sitting in the sink with some muddy overalls soaking. Moomin opened the washing machine, gesturing for Snufkin to throw his clothes in. He added quite a lot of detergent as well as a good heaping of stain remover. It was clearly necessary, but Snufkin still felt shame warm his cheeks. 

“Alright! And that should be done in an hour.” Moomin closed the machine door and pressed a button, leading the way back out to the kitchen. “Ready to eat?”

“More than you know.” Snufkin followed Moomin back out to the kitchen.

The pasta was good, warm and filling like nothing Snufkin had eaten for a week. While he was good at foraging, he missed eating food like this, cooked in a real kitchen. While they ate, Moomin talked on and on about his life, his friends, the work he did here on his parent's farm and though he asked questions about Snufkin's life, he never prodded further when he got short, closed responses, something Snufkin really appreciated. Moomin was just getting up to grab some seconds for both himself and Snufkin when he froze, hearing the distinctive sound of tyres on the gravel driveway. 

"Oh no."

"What?" Snufkin frowned.

"My parents are home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :) uh oh!


	3. Chapter 3

Snufkin didn’t know what to do. From what Moomin had told him, his parents were the loveliest of people and apparently fond of runaways like himself, but Moomin’s reaction to them coming home early rubbed off, causing Snufkin’s heart to race. Was he supposed to hide? His clothes were still in the machine. And Moomin had promised him his parents were going to be out all day. Was it betrayal? Certainly Moomin didn’t seem to know this was coming.

Before Snufkin or Moomin could decide what to do, the back door swung open, revealing Moomin’s parents. Snufkin recognised them from the photos in the stairwell, his father tall, with combed-back hair and a perfectly-groomed moustache, his mother even taller with long hair braided back. They looked like perfectly good people, but Snufkin still felt uneasy.

“Ah, you’re up! That’s good, your Pappa just forgot his --” Moomin’s mother froze when she caught sight of Snufkin, processing for a moment before her smile grew wider. “Oh, Moomin, you just wanted to invite a _boy_ over! Well, you could have just told us!”

Moomin’s face turned completely red, right up to the tips of his ears. “I-It’s not like that! I-I uh, I--!” He floundered, uselessly trying to find words that made sense. However, the simple fact she had implied her son's attraction to boys set Snufkin a little at ease. Perhaps this wouldn't be too bad. 

“My name is Snufkin, Ma’am.” He stood, bowing his head respectfully. “I’m a backpacker, just looking for some farm work. Slipped in a puddle on my way to the house, so Moomin offered to let me use the shower and washing machine while I waited to talk to the landowners. Which is you, I presume?”

Snufkin had played this game before. 

“Ah yes, that’s me!” The woman took his hand, giving it a warm handshake. “My name is May, but most people just call me Mamma. Moominvalley Farm has been part of my family for four generations. And this is my husband."

“Greetings, Snufkin!” said Moomin's father, taking his turn to shake Snufkin’s hand, much more vigorously than Mamma had. “John P. Moomin. You may have heard of me, I’m quite a famous author you know! Have you ever read _The Ghost of The Lighthouse_?”

“I've heard of it, but I'm afraid I haven't had the chance to read it. Books get quite heavy when you're travelling." 

"Fair enough," replied Moomin's father, who then quickly disappeared upstairs to fetch whatever it was that he had forgotten.

His mother - May? Mamma? He couldn't decide - paused to think. "We don't really have a lot of work at the moment, though the harvest is just around the corner. If you're in need of somewhere to stay until then, I'm sure we can find something for you to do to earn your keep. Moomin, dear, would you set up the spare room and show our guest around?"

"'Course." Moomin seemed to have calmed down some, but a cute tinge of red remained on his ears. 

"Thank you. Pappa, did you find your wallet?"

"Got it! See you later boys!"

And almost as quickly as they arrived, Moomin's parents left again, leaving Moomin and Snufkin alone in the kitchen once again. 

"Well then," Moomin set down their empty bowls by the sink. "Would you like a tour of the farm?"

* * *

Moomin loved the quad bike. Mamma usually preferred he drive the truck around the farm, but it wasn't like he had a choice if his parents were out. Snufkin rode behind him, squeezing him tightly as they zoomed past endless cherry trees with tiny green berries hanging tight to the branches. Perhaps he was still overthinking Mamma's comment from earlier, but he felt butterflies twisting around inside him. He hoped Snufkin had forgotten about it. 

"These are the sour cherries Mamma uses for making preserves, not really good for eating," Moomin pointed to one variety, slowing down the bike so Snufkin could hear him over the roar of the engine. "The sweet cherries are further down this way."

"Your dad said his last name was Moomin, but your mum called you Moomin, does that mean your name is Moomin Moomin?" Snufkin asked. 

"We mostly grow the sweet cherries, a few different varieties. Mostly wholesale but we run a stall down at the markets every week," Moomin ignored Snufkin's question. "We've got some of the best fruit around these parts, get people buying them from all over."

" _Is_ your name Moomin Moomin?"

"No, but there's a dam up ahead and I'm not afraid to launch this bike into it if you keep asking questions about it."

Snufkin went quiet, and Moomin sped the bike up. They passed the aforementioned dam, which was being fed by a nice little stream and had a pump house attached. Moomin parked the quad bike a safe distance away from the soft muddy edges where long reeds were growing. "This is the main water source for the orchard and most stuff around the farm. We swim in here in the summertime, 'specially in the afternoons after picking fruit all day."

"I've been having baths in here, before I moved into your barn." Snufkin slid off the bike, taking off the borrowed helmet. "It's good for swimming in, and the woods over that way have some good forage if you know what to look for."

"So you were just… living in the woods?" Moomin took off his own helmet, hanging it off one of the handlebars. "Like on your own? No house or anything?"

"Yeah. I've been doing it for the past few years, you get used to it. I like the solitude."

"Oh… well, sorry if you didn't really want any farm work, then. Mamma just lets all kinds stay at our house if they need a roof over their head and some honest work."

"No, it's fine." Snufkin picked up a rock by his foot, tossing it into the water with a satisfying plop. "It might be nice to change things up. I'll leave it if I don't like it."

"Well… will you tell me? Before that happens?" 

"Sure, Moomin Moomin."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey i've been posting stuff for this au over on my tumblr, such as character designs n stuff! if you're interested head over to [my moomin farmer au tag](https://leafo-supreme.tumblr.com/tagged/moomin-farmer-au) and you'll get all that good shit hell yeah


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! just a heads up for some implied past transphobia in this chapter, it's not much but figured i should let yall know anyway

Snufkin was settling into life on Moominvalley Farm. It had been about a week now, and he was finding the rhythm of the days to be quite enjoyable. He woke early, spent his mornings working alongside Mamma, helped her prepare lunch and then either spent his afternoons with Moomin or on his own enjoying the peaceful countryside. He'd return when it got dark, eat dinner and excuse himself to bed so he could start it all again. 

This morning he woke early as he was accustomed to, enjoying the quiet solitude of the dawn and a cup of real, actual coffee and not that awful instant stuff. Though it wasn’t complete solitude, as Mamma usually woke around the same time to get everything started for the day. He’d never seen anyone work as hard as her and he certainly admired her for it. He spent a lot of time shadowing her, and he greatly appreciated her patient, clear instructions and she never raised her voice if he made a mistake.

Today, Snufkin had been tasked with helping out with the veggie patch. Unlike the acres of cherry trees, these vegetables were just for friends and family. It was just him and Mamma, as Moomin was busy installing some locks on the chicken coop and Pappa was locked away upstairs working on his next novel. 

Snufkin really liked the veggie patch. He loved how it felt to get his hands in the dirt, the strange feeling of roots tearing from the ground as he weeded, and Mamma promised a lovely broccoli and cauliflower bake with their harvest today which he was quite excited about. 

However, something was weighing on Snufkin, something he'd been thinking about since that first day, that he'd thought about at night as he stared up at the ceiling of the farmhouse's guest bedroom and not the beautiful night sky he'd become accustomed to. He thought about it at the family dinner table when Pappa told grand stories about his time in the Navy and the plot points for his latest works which he had made Snufkin swear not to tell anybody about. 

"Hey, Mamma…"

"Yes, dear?" Mamma didn't turn to look at Snufkin, a small mercy he was thankful for. 

"Moomin… he, well, he likes boys, right?"

Mamma paused in her pruning. "Yes, he's quite out and proud about it."

"And… how do you feel about it?"

"Well, it would be a bit silly if I didn't love him for it, since I'm also bisexual."

"Wait, what?" Snufkin looked at Mamma with a gaping mouth. "You're..?"

"Mm-hm." She turned back to give him a comforting smile. "No need to make that face, just because I'm old and married to a man."

"No, no, it's just… I wasn't expecting that." Snufkin looked back down at the soil, watching a worm wiggle down into the dirt. How he wished he could do the same. "Most people I meet that are your age aren't… y'know… cool with stuff."

"Well, if you ever need to talk with someone who's "cool with stuff", I'm always here."

Snufkin went quiet, feeling a strange emotion swirling in his chest, his heart starting to thud uncomfortably. He stared at the dirt, at the shadows of leaves moving in the wind, trying desperately to ground himself but still he felt it bubbling up inside him. He had to say something.

“Mamma?”

“Yes, dear?”

“I’m… I’m trans.”

Mamma tucked her pruning shears back into her apron pocket, crossing the garden to meet Snufkin, kneeling down to look him face to face. Snufkin looked at her wide eyed, chewing his lip anxiously before she opened her arms wide for a hug. “What a wonderful thing that is, my dear, to know who you are.”

And Snufkin was crying.

Mamma brought him tight into her arms, his face pressed into her shoulder as he cried, feeling simultaneously ashamed for crying like a child and relieved to have someone accept him. She held him tight, rocking them both gently back and forth and rubbing little circles onto Snufkin’s back. He couldn't remember ever being held like this. He wasn't sure he ever had. 

They stayed like that for a while, until Snufkin had calmed down a little, wiping his poor snorted face on his sleeves. "I'm sorry, I just--"

"There's absolutely no need to apologize, I simply won't have it. You're human, dear, you're allowed to feel things, you know." Her hand gently touched his shoulder. "We can finish the gardening later. How about for now we go inside and I'll make some tea?"

* * *

Moomin was very pleased to have the afternoon off from work. Of course, his work plans had been painting a new design on the henhouse door, but regardless he was excited. After skipping out on helping out at the market he hadn’t really had the chance to get into town and see his friends.

(Except Snufkin, if he considered them friends. Moomin hoped he did.)

Snufkin was actually coming with him on this adventure at Mamma’s suggestion. After all, Snufkin had been wearing the same two outfits since he got here, and when working on a farm things got dirty quickly and keeping up with the laundry was becoming a hassle. Moomin had managed to get ahold of Snorkmaiden, the most fashion-forward person he knew, to come and help as well. 

The road out from Moominvalley Farms seemed to go on forever, with only the occasional house settled between wide fields of various crops and beautiful green forests. Moomin could see Snufkin out of the corner of his eye, his nose pressed against the window at the landscape rushing by and fingers tapping along with the folk music loaded into the truck’s cassette deck.

“We’ve got this really good second-hand place in town, my friend Sniff’s dad owns it,” Moomin spoke over the music, Snufkin quickly turning it down in order to hear Moomin better. “He goes on these buying trips to the city and gets a whole heap of excess donations for super cheap, it’s ridiculous. Apparently some show came out a while ago about getting rid of all the stuff you don’t like and the shop got so full I could barely fit between the racks.”

“Cool.”

“Yeah.”

Snufkin didn’t seem like he was in the mood for chatting, so Moomin focused his attention back on the road. As the cassette moved on to the next song - an old country-style lullaby Moomin fondly remembered from his youth - Snufkin sat up a little straighter, turning the music up. And then he began to sing, with a clear, warm voice that Moomin certainly didn’t expect to come from a shaggy looking barn-squatter. Was he trained? Either way, Moomin couldn’t resist joining in over the chorus, their voices drowning out the recording. Moomin couldn't wipe the smile off his face. 

"I didn't know you could sing! Your voice is great, have you taken lessons or something?" 

Snufkin shrugged, looking back out the window. "Something. I was in choir for a few years, but I didn't like it much."

"Why's that?" 

"I hate… I hate the control. I hate being told what to do, being crammed in like sardines and reading notes. Music shouldn't be like that!" There was passion in Snufkin's tone, something Moomin had yet to see. "Music has to be free, and loose and to be able to wander and travel! They tell you to sit down, follow the beat, move in time and it’s just… it’s awful. Music shouldn’t be like that, it should be like this, you know? Just some friends singing along to the radio. That’s the stuff that matters.”

Snufkin sat back against the seat, arms folded sternly and Moomin almost swerved off the road from looking. “I… Didn’t realise you were so passionate about music. Do you play any other instruments or just sing?”

“A couple things. Flute, guitar, accordion, fiddle, harmonica, piano…”

“That’s incredible! I can only play the ukulele, but I’d love to hear you play sometime.”

“I’m sure you would.” Moomin thought he saw Snufkin smile from the corner of his eye, before he turned back to looking out the window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I make these chapters too short but it's mostly just cos i'm too excited to share things with yall to write longer ones 
> 
> follow me on tumblr @leafo-supreme if u send me asks about this au i'll marry u
> 
> also the song that Moomin and Snufkin were singing is Sweet Baby James by James Taylor its a very nice one, good Snufkin vibes. lots of James Taylor music has Snufkin vibes actually
> 
> next chapter we finally get to meet some of Moomin's friends and I personally cannot wait!!


	5. Chapter 5

The township of Moomin Valley was quaint, peaceful and slow, with pedestrians milling about on their daily business. Lots of older people, a few mothers with children and and some touristy-looking types poking about. Snufkin sunk lower in his seat, his eyes just peeking over the edge of the window as Moomin neatly parked the truck outside of an old second-hand shop with a big sign reading “Muddlers Miscellany”. Outside there stood a young woman dressed in a garish outfit of pink and red, playing on her phone. 

Moomin hopped out of the car, walking over to greet this young woman, who immediately ran to give him a hug. “Moomin! You didn’t come to the market last week, were you sick?”

“Kinda,” Moomin shrugged. “Anyway, this is Snufkin, our new farmhand. Snufkin, this is my good friend Lucille Snork, otherwise known as--”

“Snorkmaiden. That’s my insta handle, anyway.” She flicked her bright pink ponytail. “I’ve got almost a thousand followers, you know. Ever heard of me?”

“I don’t... own a phone.” Snufkin shrugged, gripping his hands tightly within his hoodie pocket. 

“Well that’s boring. Come on!” The girl grabbed Moomin’s hand and Snufkin’s arm, pulling both of them ahead into the shop. 

The exterior of Muddler's Miscellany could not have prepared Snufkin for the chaos on the inside, with shelves upon shelves with racks and tables and display cases filled with all manner of trash and treasure. In the middle of the shop was a boy, probably around their age, poking around on some device. Hearing the bell ring as the doors opened caused him to stand up, hiding the device under the counter. “Greetings! And- Oh, s’just you guys. Hi Moomin! Hi Lucy!”

“Sniff! I told you to call me Snorkmaiden!” 

“Well, I just think it’s dumb, you don’t see me asking everyone to call me Sniffman69.”

“That’s because it’s literally just your name! With 69 after it! It’s not even that funny!”

The boy, Sniff, sat back down and picked his device back up. “It’s hilarious and you know it.”

Snorkmaiden rolled her eyes. “Whatever. I gotta go shop for the new boy anyway. Follow me, Snufkin!”

With nothing else to do, Snufkin followed Snorkmaiden through a maze of bookshelves filled with old trashy romances and overcrowded racks of clothes that smelled of mothballs until they reached a particular rack near the back, where she immediately dove into sorting through shirts. “So, Snufkin, what’s your style?”

Snufkin shrugged, watching blankly. “I don’t know, whatever’s comfortable I guess?”

“Surely you have some kind of preference! Come on, like… what do you do for fun?" She paused in her searching to give Snufkin a quizzical look. 

All she got in response was another shrug. "I mind my own business."

"Be nice over there!" Moomin called from across the store. "The clothes don't need to be fashionable, it's just so Mamma doesn't have to wash every other day."

"If you didn't want me to make him look nice then why even invite me?" Snorkmaiden sighed, shaking her head. "Whatever. Browse by yourself, I'm gonna see what's new in."

Snufkin looked blankly at the rack of clothing in front of him, then over to where Snorkmaiden had decided to rummage through a different section of clothes. He turned back to the clothing rack, sliding the hangers around without really looking at what was on them. 

Moomin suddenly appeared at his side, his arms filled with various colours of t-shirt. "I'm sorry, I think it might not have been the best decision to invite her… She takes all this stuff super seriously, she wants to go to fashion school one day and everything. You don't have to properly try these on, by the way, just if you can hold them up and see if they'll fit you."

Snufkin gave a small nod, taking the first shirt from the top of the pile, holding it against his chest. It was pleasantly too-big, with some logo for what he guessed was a sports team on it. Moomin seemed pleased, taking the shirt back and draping it over his shoulder. This process repeated, good shirts being draped over Moomin's shoulder and the bad shirts tucked under his arm, a word said by neither of them until Snorkmaiden called from across the shop, “Hey Moomin!”

Snorkmaiden was holding a plastic toy in her hand, the kind one would expect to see in a fast food kid’s meal. Suddenly Snufkin found his arms filled with the shirt pile as Moomin stormed across the store, snatching the toy out of Snorkmaiden’s hand. “You know how I feel about that stuff! Don’t just… ugh,” He shoved it back into the bin filled with similar plastic toys. For a moment, Moomin caught Snufkin’s eye, quickly turning away to speak to Snorkmaiden in a hushed yet angry tone.

Snufkin felt uncomfortable, which wasn’t unusual, but seeing Moomin upset was weird and he certainly wasn’t a fan of it. He tried his best to ignore the whispered discussion behind him, turning back to the clothing racks. 

And then he saw it.

Stuffed back between other various old coats he saw something emerald green and fuzzy. Woolen? He found himself drawn to it, placing the stack of shirts Moomin had given him onto a nearby bookshelf as he approached the coat. He touched it, finding it soft, peeling it carefully from it's hanger and slipping it on over his hoodie. It was heavy in a good way, and the insides were lined with a silky material that felt very nice when it moved against his clothes. The sleeves were long and needed to be pushed up, but there was a very nice set of pockets for him to stuff his hands into. Just wearing it in the shop, still smelling of mothballs, filled his chest with a weird, fluttery feeling. He wasn’t sure he wanted to take it off. 

"Oh, Snufkin! You do have style!"

Apparently while lost in his coat-euphoria, Snufkin hadn't noticed that Moomin and Snorkmaiden had stopped arguing and were now looking at him. Snorkmaiden ran over, running her fingers along one of the shoulder seams. "Ooh, this looks really good, nice find! You have to get it!"

Suddenly Snufkin realised that he was supposed to pay for things, and that he didn't have any money. He was here for farm clothes after all, and a coat like this wouldn't be practical, especially in the lead up towards summer. He took it off, resigned to his fate in the hope that the coat would still be there later. Before he could hang it back up, Snorkmaiden took it from him and draped it over Moomin's shoulder with the other shirts that they’d decided would fit. "Now we've got a starting point!"

* * *

Now with enough clothes to last him at least a week, plus his new emerald green coat on, Snufkin was in quite high spirits as they said goodbye to Moomin’s friends and climbed back into the old truck. He kept the plastic bag on his lap, holding it in his arms as they started the long drive back to the farm.

“I’m sorry if Snorkmaiden was a bit… Y’know. Strong.” Moomin said glumly. “She’s always been like that. Knows what she wants, doesn’t take no for an answer. Probably should have given you a better warning.”

“It’s fine. But are you okay? You got a bit upset in there.” Snufkin looked over at Moomin, who was frowning over the steering wheel. 

“Yeah, I’m fine, it’s just… Well, it’s just this sore spot for me. She wasn’t around when it happened so it’s hard to blame her but…” He sighed heavily. “My name’s Alvin.”

“Alvin?” Snufkin gave him a quizzical look.

“Yeah. And I was eight when the Alvin and the Chipmunks movie came out. And I was already a bit of an awkward kid. I was already picked on for being fat and blond and a bit weird in general and once that movie came out it was just… It was just a constant barrage. People screaming it like the guy in the movie does. People poking me to try and get me to squeak. I stopped using Alvin and decided to just go by Moomin, like my Dad did. Snorkmaiden moved here during highschool so she never really saw the extent of it so to her it’s just funny to bring it up. I wouldn’t even care about being called Alvin if people just forgot about the movie.”

Snufkin wasn’t sure what to say. “Fair enough. Sorry about getting bullied though. Kids can be cruel.”

Moomin nodded. “Yeah. Must’ve been rough with a name like Snufkin, it certainly stands out.”

“Oh, I only started using Snufkin like…” He counted on his fingers, struggling to grasp at memories, “Four years ago? It’s hard to say. I don’t really keep a calendar.”

“Oh? Why’d you change it?”

Snufkin shrugged. “Sick of pretending to be something I wasn’t. I got tired of it all, so I left, changed my name, decided to live in the forest where it didn’t matter who I was."

Moomin opened his mouth and then closed it again, staying silent for a full minute before he spoke again. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to but--"

"It's because I'm trans. And had a shitty foster family."

"Ah. That'd do it." 

Silence settled between them again, Snufkin watching Moomin from the corner of his eye. Moomin was focused on the road before him, an unreadable expression on his face. He felt something twist inside him, hoping for something, anything else to reassure Snufkin it was okay. 

Thankfully, Moomin broke the silence not long after. "Hey, um, me and some of my friends, we… Well, it was Too-Ticky, she's a carpenter in town but she also hosts these pride picnics? Just 'cos there's a lot of young people in town who are queer. Usually it's me, Snorkmaiden, Too-Ticky, Mymble, My, usually some others… Sniff comes sometimes, 'cos he's not really sure what's going on with himself but y'know, he's fine. We're meant to meet up next week down by the beach, if you'd like to come?"

The uneasy feeling in Snufkin's chest eased. "I'd really like that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i had so many ideas for the name reveal but in truth i couldn't hold it in any longer, Alvin Moomin is real!
> 
> Also! Introduction of art in the fic? I can't stop drawing stuff from this AU and Snufkin with his new coat was too precious so if ya'll like having art included in the fic itself let me know! Any other drawings or tidbits or whatever can be found in my moomin farmer au tag on my tumblr [over here!](https://leafo-supreme.tumblr.com/tagged/moomin-farmer-au)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *panting, wheezing as I place this in front of y'all* dear god this chapter is seven pages long please take it

There was a taste of summer in the air. Moomin was looking forward to the season - the harvest was just under a week away, the house bustling with preparations. Mamma had been cooking up a storm in order to get enough food prepared in advance that she didn't need to cook every night after picking cherries all day, as well as handling orders, recruiting workers from town and keeping up with everything else going on. Of course Moomin took on his share of the work, including today's task of preparing sandwiches for pride picnic. 

He’d been working all morning, as everyone was expected to be there what with such perfect weather on the way. Each sandwich was wrapped in paper, labelled with either salad, ham or egg, and then carefully packed into a large plastic box to keep them all safe. Once all the sandwiches were made he clipped the lid onto the box and put it all into the picnic basket, along with a few bottles of Mamma’s homemade lemonade and some other picnic supplies. With everything prepared, he wiped his hands on his mother’s old apron that he was wearing, taking it off and hanging it back up. “Snufkin!” He called, “Are you ready to go?”

“We’re out here!” He heard his mother’s voice from outside. 

Moomin stepped out of the house to find Mamma and Snufkin in the middle of the lawn, Mamma shaking out the hairdressing cape as Snufkin brushed his fingers through his hair. What had once been a shaggy unkempt mess was now trimmed neatly, short enough to stay out of his eyes but long enough to still feel like Snufkin. Without all the weight his hair was bouncier now, flipping around at the ends in a way Moomin could only describe as handsome.

“Did I keep you waiting? Mamma thought it best I get my hair cut, since it’s been getting hotter lately.” Snufkin gave a small smile, turning his face to the sky, eyes closed to feel the sun on his face. “It feels good to feel the breeze on the back of your neck.”

“Yeah.” Moomin nodded, finding it a little difficult to find words when Snufkin was looking so at peace with the world. “Oh! I, I'm, I’ve got just about everything ready to go now, I just need to load it all up in the truck and we’ll be set.”

“Good, I’ll give you a hand. Thanks again for the haircut, Mamma!” Snufkin gave a little wave, following Moomin inside to finish preparing for their day

* * *

The beach was beautiful. A clear dazzling blue, stretching out to the horizon with only a few small islands breaking the sheer endlessness of it all. This wasn’t like beaches he’d been on before, all busy with tourists and endlessly developed to spoil the natural beauty in the name of convenience. No, this beach was nothing but soft grass transitioning to golden sand to beautiful, beautiful ocean.

It seemed the only beachgoers was Moomin’s group of friends, who had set up a portable marquee, a folding table filled with snacks and some picnic blankets scattered around the grass and sand. Planted in the ground beside the marquee was a small flagpole, flying the rainbow flag proudly. Snufkin couldn't help but smile at the sight. There were a few people milling about, building sandcastles or splashing in the water. He spotted Snorkmaiden lying on a towel in the sun, though her hair was now sky blue instead of pink. Sniff was beside her, fiddling with an old boom box. Moomin parked the truck between an old beat-up sedan and a nice-looking motorbike, hopping out and taking the picnic basket from the tray in the back. "C'mon, Snufkin! Let's go meet everyone."

Moomin led the way over to the marquee, where he set down the picnic basket. “Too-Ticky! I brought my friend!”

The aforementioned Too-Ticky, a blonde woman in a gaudy hawaiian shirt who had been chatting to a red-haired woman in a bikini, stood up from her place on her picnic blanket. “Moomin! It’s lovely to see you again. Ah, and this is?”

“Snufkin.” Snufkin nodded his head politely.

“Nice to meet you, Snufkin, I’m Too-Ticky. She/her or they/them pronouns.” She extended a hand, which Snufkin shook. He’d never had someone introduce themselves with their pronouns before, let alone ones that weren’t he or she. He realised his mouth had been hanging open, so he swallowed and muttered a quick, “He/him, please.”

“Wonderful.” Too-Ticky gave him a reassuring pat on the back. “D’you want me to call everyone over to introduce yourself? Or I can just point ‘em out. Everyone here’s lovely, no need to look so nervous.”

Snufkin didn’t realise he was so nervous. “Uh, just pointing out everyone is fine.”

“Alright, well,” Too-Ticky began, firstly pointing to the woman who she had been sharing a picnic blanket with. “That’s Mymble, she’s my girlfriend. Over there’s her sister, My,” She pointed to a odd-looking girl who appeared thirteen by stature but with a face much, much older, dressed in a distressed band tee and shorts, building a sandcastle. “And that's their other sibling, Ilyan, who runs the bakery in town,” She gestured to a person in a wide sunhat and loose clothing, combing the beach for shells. “They’re a big family, but well liked. Their mum runs the local pub, have you been?”

“Not yet, Snufkin shook his head. “Mrs Moomin is a wonderful cook, though.”

“Certainly right about that. Anyway, over in the water there’s my sister, Jonna, who teaches, and Alecia, who runs ghost tours in town. We’re not haunted, but don’t tell the tourists.” Too-Ticky chuckled at her own joke before moving on. “And then over there sunbathing is Sniff and Lucy! Sniff’s pa runs the second hand shop in town, and Lucy’s… she does something on the internet but I don’t get what you kids are all up to.” Too-Ticky shrugged. “And that leaves Moomin, but you already know him.”

“Hello!” Moomin smiled. While Snufkin and Too-Ticky had been talking, Moomin had been preparing to go swimming, his shirt neatly folded in the picnic basket as he applied sunscreen all over himself. “Are you gonna swim, Snufkin?”

“Probably not, I don’t own any bathers. But the sun’s nice, so I’ll just bask in it.” 

“If you’re sure! I can talk to Mamma about getting some for you though, we do lots of swimming in the summer.” Moomin smiled that big, warm smile of his. It melted away quickly, brow furrowing as he tried to rub more sunscreen into his back. No matter which way he twisted, he just couldn’t seem to reach everywhere. He struggled, trying to go over one shoulder, underneath his other arm, wiggling about like a turtle stuck on it’s back. 

“Let me help.”

Snufkin grabbed the bottle of sunscreen, squirting some into the palm of his hand before smoothing it straight across the blades of Moomin’s shoulders. Moomin jolted at the sudden cold on his back, going rigid as Snufkin rubbed it in. “Sorry, is it cold?”

“I-it’s fine!” Moomin squeaked. “It’s a little cold, but the water should be colder anyway!”

Snufkin nodded, continuing to smooth his hands across Moomin’s back. Under his palms he could feel Moomin’s warmth, how soft he was and the layer of strong muscle below the fat. Across his shoulders was a dusting of freckles, memories of summers gone. Touching him was almost mesmerising Snufkin had the brief desire to rest his cheek against him. The sound of someone yelling over by the water snapped Snufkin out of his trance. He cleared his throat and removed his hands, wiping the excess sunscreen off on his shorts. 

“Uh, that should be good now. Be careful, someone with your complexion could burn to a crisp out there.” 

“Thanks Snufkin! Let me know if you need me!” Moomin gave a another big smile, waving before he ran down the beach towards the sand.

* * *

Moomin waded out into the water, waves splashing against his legs as he eased himself into the cool ocean. Even though it was barely mid-morning, a swim was exactly the kind of thing he needed to calm himself down from the pounding in his chest. He was fine. Friends put sunscreen on friends all the time. He just needed to ease himself into the cold water and--

“MOOMIN!”

A sudden weight slammed into his back, knocking him face-first into the ocean. Thankfully, the water was deep enough for him not to break his nose on the sand, but shallow enough he could easily pull himself up. “My! You don’t just do that to people!”

“Do what?” She was still clinging to his back, hands dug into his shoulders to keep herself above the water. “Just saying hello.”

“You could say hello less violently. Get off me.”

“I shan't.” She adjusted her position, draping herself across Moomin’s shoulder. “Who’s the new kid?”

“Snufkin. He’s our new farmhand.”

“Harvest’s still a little while off though, isn’t it? Didn’t think you lot needed help for the rest of the year.”

Moomin sat down in the water, My moving to sit on his shoulders to keep herself mostly dry. “Well, Snufkin was looking for work, and you know my mother. She let you be a farmhand when you were sick and tired of your family, what’s the issue?”

“Well, I always know what I’m up to. How do you know we can trust this Snufkin fellow?”

“He’s been very kind so far,” Moomin defended, folding his arms. “Well, except for…” He paused, remembering that night they first met. “No, he’s been a wonderful guest.”

“What did he do?” My leaned forward, grabbing Moomin’s hair to keep herself balanced. “Arson? Blackmail? Those are my favourites!”

Moomin huffed, shrugging his shoulders to try and get My off of them to no avail. “No! He just took some eggs is all!”

My paused, sliding off of Moomin’s shoulders so she could look him in the eye, her intimidating green glare making him uneasy. “So you’re telling me, a strange boy turns up at your house, steals eggs from _your chickens_ , and now you’re calling him a wonderful guest?”

“I suppose.” Moomin turned his head away. 

“You kicked me out for messing with those stupid birds!” My huffed, splashing Moomin. “I can’t believe you.”

Moomin scoffed. “That was different! You tried to purposely hurt KFC. Snufkin just wanted some eggs.”

“You’re the one who named a chicken KFC! Ugh, you great big troll.” My sighed, splashing Moomin again as she walked back up to the shore. “I’m going to go bother someone else!”

“Good!” Moomin shouted back, walking further out into the water to finally get some peace.

* * *

The sun felt beautiful on Snufkin’s skin, warm and heavy as he dozed off in the sunlight. He hadn’t exactly done enough work to deserve a nap, unlike Moomin who he could still hear splashing about in the water, but nonetheless he thought it good to indulge himself after all the hard work he’d been doing back at the farm.

“Mind if I join you?”

Snufkin cracked open one eye, finding Snorkmaiden blocking his sunlight, a rolled up towel in her hand. Snufkin shrugged, closing his eye again. “You can do whatever you’d like.”

“Sweet!” Snorkmaiden giggled, shaking out her towel and lying down on it. “Enjoying yourself? Haven’t seen you socialise much.”

“Not a social person. It’s been nice watching,” Snufkin replied simply.

“I bet.” She giggled again. “What’s it like living at Moominvalley Farm?”

“It’s good. The Moomins are good people.”

“They sure are.” Snorkmaiden let the silence hang in the air for a moment before she spoke again. “You know, Moomin and I used to date, back in highschool. Before I worked out I was a lesbian, of course.”

“Of course,” Snufkin echoed, unsure where she was taking this. 

“He was always such a kind boyfriend. Always listened to me, walked me home, held my hand… And he’s a very good kisser. Y’know, for a boy.”

Snufkin frowned, hoping the heat on his face was just the sun. “Why are you telling me this?”

Snorkmaiden giggled yet again. “Thought you might like to know~”

Snufkin grumbled, rolling over onto his side away from Snorkmaiden. This wasn't information he needed to know. So what if Moomin was a good kisser? Wasn't any of his business who Moomin kissed anyway. 

His mind jolted back to earlier, the feel of Moomin’s strong back under his hands and Snufkin’s body tensed. It definitely did not matter who Moomin kissed, and he refused to think about it. He got up from his cozy spot in the sand, dusting himself off where it had stuck to his skin. “I think I’m going to go check out the rockpools.”

“Did I strike a nerve? Ooh, exciting!” Snorkmaiden laughed, pulling down her heart-shaped sunglasses to give him a wink. “Have fun!”

Snufkin squared his shoulders, marching himself down to the water and leaving Snorkmaiden behind. The rockpools weren’t far from where he was sitting, a mix of jagged and smooth stones jutting around the shoreline with small shallow pools of water. If he let his eyes focus in on an area he could notice all kinds of little things crawling about, crabs and bugs that made their homes nestled between the rocks. It was a whole other world down there, one he could only observe as an outsider. That was alright though, he wasn’t really used to fitting in anyway. 

"Snufkin!"

Moomin's voice called from across the beach and Snufkin turned, finding Moomin waving at him from the marquee. "Hey Snufkin, we're gonna have lunch now! Wanna join us?"

"Sure!" Snufkin waved back, making his way back up the beach to join the others.

* * *

Lunch was good, as Snufkin had expected. Besides Moomin’s sandwiches (he had an egg one, as Moomin was very proud of making the mayonnaise himself from scratch that morning), Snorkmaiden had brought impeccably iced cupcakes, and the apple danishes made by the baker were absolutely delicious. The only downside was the looks that Snorkmaiden kept throwing him every time Moomin laughed or smiled or spoke to him, knowing eyes hidden behind those silly sunglasses. By the time everyone had finished eating and started packing up to go home for the afternoon, Snufkin was well and truly burnt out. 

“Hey, mind helping me take down the marquee?”

He looked up from the grass he’d been picking at to find Too-Ticky looking down at him, offering him a hand up. He took the offer, pulling himself up to his feet. “Sure.”

Too-Ticky stationed him at one pole, showing him how to work the clips to bring the legs down. The work was mostly quiet, Too-Ticky giving him brief instructions on each step of the process until it was folded back up and ready to be stuffed back into the carry case. He sat back down to watch Too-Ticky wrestle the thing back in. 

“You’re not really one for big groups, are you?” She asked, looking up from her work briefly. 

Snufkin shook his head in reply. 

“Thought so. Nothing wrong with that, ‘course. These things can be tiring.”

Snufkin felt himself smile a little. “Not used to being around all that many people.”

“Ah, bit of a hermit?”

“I’d use the term vagabond, personally. Suppose I’m a farmhand now, though.” 

“Mamma does that, doesn’t she? Just takes us all in… I had my stint back at that farm when I was probably ‘round your age. Little younger, maybe, when Jonna left for college. It’s very easy to be angry at the world when you don’t fit into it.” Too-Ticky gave him a smile. “I saw the way you looked at me when I introduced m’self before. If you’re dealing with gender stuff, you’re not the only one here. If you ever need to talk about it, let me know. Mamma’s got my number, and I’m at the markets every week.”

This was all certainly very new to Snufkin. Being so out and open about his identity, having people who cared for him and understood him, people who didn’t care if he was a boy or if he liked boys or any other weird thing about him. It was… overwhelming. He took a deep breath and nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

As if heaven-sent to extract him from this conversation, Moomin called from across the grass, “Snuff! Are you ready to go home yet?”

“Yeah! Bye, Too-Ticky.” Snufkin gave her a little wave, jogging towards the old truck, ready for an afternoon of quiet to think and rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there were like fifty billion other things I wanted to include in this chapter but! guess pride picnic is gonna have a sequel later lmao
> 
> don't forget to check out my tumblr @leafo-supreme and the associated tag for this au [right here!](https://leafo-supreme.tumblr.com/tagged/moomin-farmer-au)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys sorry for the delay i got writers block and then i got sick and I'm still sick but if I don't publish something I'll never get to writing the shit that really matters in moomin fics which is TENDERNESS and PINING so here 
> 
> also! I started a tumblr specifically for this au! Go check it out at [moominvalley-farm.tumblr.com](https://moominvalley-farm.tumblr.com/) I'm there to answer questions and I've been drawing lots of art so go! enjoy!

The afternoon sun was wonderfully warm, even if it did sting on what was left of Moomin's sunburn. From his place sitting on the lawn he could see the most perfect white, fluffy clouds drifting overhead, birds swooping the nets covering up the cherry orchard, and Snufkin, who was lying in the grass in front of him. 

It had been a strange few days in Moomin's eyes - he and Snufkin had been working together more as they prepared for the harvest, lugging equipment out from storage and preparing the house for their hired help. Cherries were far too delicate to be harvested by machine, so Moomin tradition saw their household swell in numbers for the two weeks it took to harvest all the fruit. Instead of the friendly banter Moomin had built up with Snufkin, he found him rather distant and quiet since the pride picnic. It would have been simple to pin the silence on nerves with having more people around, but Moomin couldn't stop the sinking feeling he may have said something wrong to offend Snufkin.

"Hey, are you okay?" Moomin asked quietly, watching as one of his chickens, Charlotte, pecked out a worm nearby. 

"Hm?" Snufkin turned to look at Moomin, a relaxed expression on his face. "What was that?"

"I don't know, just… you've been quiet for the past few days, just wondering if you were doing okay."

"Oh, I'm fine." Snufkin rolled onto his stomach, propping up his chin to watch another chicken, T-Rex, go to town in Mamma's beloved hyacinths. 

"Are you sure? No one was rude to you at pride picnic, were they? Was it My? Ooh, one of these days I'm going to have serious words with her…"

"What? No, I didn't even talk to My. Though, Snorkmaiden was a little weird…"

"What did she do?"

"Told me about how you two dated."

Moomin sighed, flopping backwards onto the grass. "Oh dear, I really hope she's not going back to men, I don't think I could handle it if she wanted to date me again."

"Do you still like her?" Snufkin frowned.

"What? No! I just… I have a hard time saying no, and she's… well, she's…” Moomin paused to find the right words, “High maintenance? I'm very glad to have her as a friend, of course, but it's very hard to say no to her. I was very glad when we decided to go back to being just friends."

"Did she mistreat you?”

“No, of course not, I never did anything I didn’t want to do. I was more just… blinded by being loved, I suppose?”

“What do you mean?” Snufkin rolled over to look at Moomin, a small frown on his face. 

“Well, it’s… Kind of like… Hm… It’s kind of hard to describe it. Probably a mix of living in a small town without that many options, and then those options are slimmed down further because I’m not really most people’s type.”

Snufkin sat up, bits of grass sticking to his hair and a confounded look on his face. “What?”

Moomin lifted his head to look at Snufkin. “Well, _I_ like the way I look, but I don’t exactly have the body of a leading hero or anything.”

“Moomin, that’s nonsense. I watched you pick up a sack of chicken feed almost as big as I am like twenty minutes ago.”

Moomin blushed. “So?”

Snufkin coughed, rolling back onto his stomach and avoiding eye contact. “Well, some people find things like that to be more attractive... I couldn’t imagine you thin anyway. It wouldn’t suit you.”

Moomin felt his whole face flush, an awkward silence settling between them as he stared skyward, heart fluttering with possibilities. Before his thoughts could wander too far, he was brought back to earth by the squeak of the old gate. He sat up to see Mamma, returning from the orchard with a basket of ruby-red cherries. 

“I was hoping to find you two here!” Mamma beamed, holding out the basket so Moomin and Snufkin could each try some of the fresh fruit. “It seems we’ll be right on schedule for harvest this year!”

Moomin took a cherry, biting half of it off in order to avoid the pit. It was perfect - sweet, a little tart, absolutely heavenly. “It’s really good! What do you think, Snufkin?”

He turned to look across to Snufkin, who appeared to be having some kind of religious experience, eyes wide like saucers as he removed the pit out from his mouth. "Those are… incredible."

"Well, we have plenty of work to do then!" Mamma fixed her wide sunhat, a determined fire in her eyes. "Can I trust you boys to get beds made while I run into town? I just need to grab a few things before everyone arrives later. Oh! Before I forget - Snufkin?”

“Yes?” Said Snufkin, reaching for another cherry.

“Would you mind sleeping in Moomin’s room during the harvest? We’ve got about five Mymbles coming to stay with us and it’s easier to keep them all contained in one place.”

“Um…” Snufkin turned his head, looking across to the barn. They’d cleaned it out in preparation for the harvest, so the nest he’d made for himself before he’d moved into the house had been removed. “I suppose that’d be alright.”

“Wonderful. I’ll see you boys later.” Mamma passed the basket of cherries to Snufkin, giving Moomin a kiss on the top of his head before leaving.

* * *

Moomin and Snufkin spent the rest of the afternoon pulling out camping cots and airbeds from the cupboard under the stairs, setting them up ready for their guests. The spare room had to be entirely reconfigured, the bed pushed up against the wall in order to fit three extra beds in there. There wasn’t much talk between them as they worked, Snufkin still feeling a little weird about his comment earlier. Still, he found himself watching closely as Moomin wrangled fitted sheets onto mattresses and pillows into their cases, the way he moved and the focus furrowed into his brow and the occasional triumphant smile as they finished one bed and moved onto another. Such feelings were pointless. Snufkin knew that. But he couldn't tear his eyes away. 

Once their task was complete it was time for dinner, which was quite the uproar. As well as Mamma and Pappa, they had been joined by their temporary fruit pickers - Snufkin knew Sniff, My and Mymble from before, but they were also joined by three of My and Mymble's siblings named Poppy, Marcus and Bobby. Apparently that was only half of the full count of Mymble siblings, a thought Snufkin found quite alarming. He passed through dinner half zoned out, spending more time admiring the beautiful murals painted on the walls of the formal dining room than paying attention to the loud overlapping conversations around him. 

Thankfully, it was soon time for bed. Mamma had told them that they’d be waking up very early, something Snufkin was pleasantly accustomed to. It felt strange though, following Moomin and Sniff into Moomin’s bedroom, bypassing the door to the guest room where he’d been living. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d shared a bedroom with someone either - he trusted Moomin, but he wasn’t quite so sure about Sniff. 

Sniff seemed rather pleased about the whole idea, swinging his backpack to the floor and flopping onto one of the perfectly-made beds. “So, boys night in! What’re we gonna get up to, lads?”

“We’re going to sleep,” Moomin answered plainly, unfolding his pyjamas from the end of his bed. “We’ve got work early in the morning.”

Sniff groaned in annoyance. “C’mooooon, Moomin! What’s the point of a guys’ sleepover if we don’t do guy things?”

Snufkin frowned with confusion. He’d never been to a ‘guys’ sleepover’ before. “What… do you mean by guy things?”

“He’s being stupid, don’t worry about it.” Moomin began to change into his pyjamas, without the decency to even turn around as he took off his clothes. Snufkin glued his eyes to the wall, though he gestured to Sniff to continue.

“Well, it hasn’t been just me and Moomin having a sleepover for ages, but we’d watch movies and talk about crushes and tell stories and stuff,” Sniff explained, “Then again, we’d do the same stuff with Lucy anyway, except she’d tell us off for laughing at farts.”

Snufkin couldn’t help but laugh at the thought, snickering quietly as he sat down on his own bed. “Well, I don’t mind a good story.”

“Well!” Sniff seemed to light up, clapping his hands together excitedly. “I have all kinds to share! Like that time Moomin brought a chicken to school, or the time he got a crab stuck to his nipple, or the time--”

“Sniff, please do shut up.” 

Snufkin turned to look at Moomin, who had finished changing into his pyjamas and was now getting into bed. His face was turning red, frowning with irritation at his happily smiling friend. “But Moomin! They’re such good stories!”

“If all your stories are about me you can shove them up your butt.” 

“Oh yeah? I’ll shove _you_ up my butt.”

Suddenly an awkward silence fell over the room as Moomin’s angry glare suddenly turned into flustering, and Snufkin whipped his head around to find Sniff in a similar state, his mouth set into a hard line and his eyes begging for the sweet release of death. The tension in the room was strange and very, very uncomfortable. 

“Well, I could tell a story?” Snufkin offered, trying to break the tension. 

“Please do!” Moomin smiled with relief. 

“Ooh, a tale from the man of mystery himself!” Sniff clapped his hands excitedly, “I bet you’ve had all kinds of wild adventures!”

Both Moomin and Sniff were watching Snufkin with eager expressions on their faces. It made him a little uncomfortable, making it hard for him to think of a suitable story. 

“How about… Well, there was one time I tazed a cop,” He mused aloud, laying back on his bed and gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling. 

“You did _what?!_ ” Moomin exclaimed, almost falling out of his bed. 

“I tazed a cop.” Snufkin repeated himself as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “I mean, just to get myself out of holding.”

“Oh you have to tell us everything!” Sniff had his hands clasped together, eager and ready to listen. 

“Well,” Snufkin began, closing his eyes so as to better focus on his story. “It was probably about a year after I left, and I’d been living in this park for a while. In the city, one of the nicer neighborhoods, but still, y’know, not nice enough to keep homeless kids out. Anyway, I was helping some guy out with some... business for a bit of extra cash, cops caught us sniffing around, told us off for loitering. I decided to run, since I had the goods, but cops don’t like it when you run during questioning so they decided to take me back to the funhouse.”

“Snufkin, were you dealing drugs?” Moomin asked with concern, but got no answer as Snufkin continued. 

“I’m pretty good at getting myself out of cuffs, so on the ride over I wiggled out of them. When they went to let me out of the car I grabbed his taser and turned it on the pig. Ran as fast as I could, managed to get away by hiding in a storm drain for a few hours. Had to move out of that park though, but that’s fine.” 

Snufkin opened his eyes to find Moomin looking at him with genuine concern, while Sniff looked on in amazement. “Wow! You actually tazed a cop?”

“And I’d taze him again.” Snufkin nodded, folding his arms over his chest.  
“That’s so dangerous!” Moomin looked at Snufkin with an upset expression that he’d sworn he’d seen mirrored exactly on Mamma before. “You could have gotten hurt! Or put in jail!”

“Jail’s better than where I was living before, believe me.” Snufkin frowned, pulling the blankets over himself. “Maybe we should just go to bed.”

“Or I could tell one funny Moomin story?” Sniff suggested.

“Goodnight,” Moomin said firmly, turning off his lamp and plunging the room into darkness.

 

After a few moments of silence, Snufkin whispered into the darkness, “You can tell me your Moomin stories later.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again dont 4get to check out the tumblr for this AU [moominvalley-farm.tumblr.com](https://moominvalley-farm.tumblr.com/)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmao sorry for making ya'll wait i'm in drawing mode but gotta write so i have more things to draw without spoiling all my plans anyway here u go enjoy

The shrill sound of an alarm clock jolted Snufkin from his dreams, heart pounding. He'd grown so used to the spare room that it took him a moment to orient himself, the air mattress on Moomin's bedroom floor suddenly foreign despite him having spent all night there. It was still dark out, only the faintest of pre-dawn light filtering through the window above Moomin's bed. 

Moomin began to stir awake, the alarm clock still ringing throughout the house. He sat up, stretching his arms above his head and yawning deeply before sliding out of bed. As he shuffled around the makeshift beds on his floor, he caught Snufkin's dark eyes watching him. Snufkin pulled the blanket a little higher to hide most of his face. 

"If you wanna freshen up, I'd go now before the Mymbles wake up. You do _not_ wanna be stuck waiting for them to all finish in the bathroom." Moomin crossed the room to his wardrobe in order to change into his clothes for the day. Snufkin gave a small nod, taking his cue to get up and grab his clothes so he could change in private. 

The blaring alarm clock finally died down as Snufkin walked silently down the hall to the bathroom, knocking softly before entering. Thankfully empty. Snufkin quickly changed into his day clothes behind the locked door, opening it to find a line of Mymbles already formed. He gave them a quick courteous nod before scurrying down the stairs. 

"Oh, good morning Snufkin!" Mamma greeted him with a smile and a cup of fresh coffee made exactly how he liked it. "We've got a lot of work to do today, so make sure you have a big breakfast so you have lots of energy!"

And what a big breakfast there was to have! The dining table had been turned into a buffet, filled with pancakes and bacon and eggs and baked beans, a pile of toast with various homemade spreads, even pitchers of juice! Moomin had beaten him downstairs and already had a plate piled high with food. Snufkin settled for a few pancakes with jam, taking his seat next to Moomin at the table. 

There was a great thudding as the others came downstairs, Snufkin suddenly finding one of the Mymbles, My, sitting beside him. Well, technically she was standing on her chair to better reach the food, as her siblings started trying to load their plates too. He heard Mamma call from the kitchen, "Slow down! There's plenty for everyone, and I can always make more!" but even that didn't seem to deter them. 

With her plate loaded, My sat down in her chair properly, picking up a whole pancake with her fork and taking a bite. "So, Snufkin, right? What's your deal?"

"My deal? I wasn't aware I had one." Snufkin frowned as he sipped his coffee.

"I mean, what are you even doing here?" My chewed as she spoke, bits of pancake flying onto the table. 

"I'm eating breakfast."

"Not what I meant, idiot. Looks like you fit right in with this lot." My huffed, shoving more pancake into her mouth. "Still, would like to know who I'm working with here."

"Well, I like keeping my business to myself."

"Respect for sticking to your guns, but I'll figure you out one way or another. Your choice how hard you make it." 

Snufkin frowned at her comment, hiding it behind his mug as he turned back to his breakfast. Moomin had warned him about My, and he understood why now. He could feel her watching him from the corner of her eye, and he didn't like it. Thankfully the oldest of the Mymbles intervened, pulling her sister's hair. "My! You're far too old now to be staring at people."

"I was just looking, Mym, wasn't hurting him." 

"Well it's rude! I expect it from this lot," Mymble pointed her thumb at their three other siblings, who were currently fighting over a bottle of syrup. "But you know better."

My groaned, rolling her eyes. "I just want to get to know my new pal Snufkin a little better! Is that such a crime?"

"Look at him, you're clearly making him uncomfortable."

Mymble was right. Snufkin did feel very uncomfortable right now. So uncomfortable, in fact, that he rolled up what was left of his pancake, picked up his coffee and went outside to finish his breakfast on the porch alone. 

He could still hear everyone inside, Mymble loudly scolding her sister for being so rude. He felt a wave of anxiety rise up inside him, jaw clenching as he tried his best to tune them out. He tried to focus on other things - the cool morning air on his bare arms, the birds swooping over the cherry orchard, the way the light streaked across the sky as the sun slowly rose over the mountains in the distance. Perhaps he could take a hike soon, and discover more of what lay beyond them. It would leave them down a worker, but surely Mamma would understand…

Soon the others had finished their breakfast, Mamma and Pappa leading the group outside as the sun broke over the mountains. Snufkin joined the other workers, standing next to Moomin as Pappa brought over an old box filled with various hats and Mamma passed around a bottle of sunscreen. “It might be chilly now, but it’ll get very hot once the sun gets up, so I want everyone to make sure they’re protected,” she said, making sure everyone had enough to keep themselves from burning.

As the box of hats came around to Snufkin, he pulled out an old green bucket hat, slightly worn and frayed at the edges. He tugged it on over his head as Mamma continued speaking. 

“We’ll start at the farthest end of the orchard today and we’ll stop around noon when it gets the hottest. We’ll keep plenty of water in the truck and take breaks if you need to, but we need you all to work your very hardest!”

“Yes, Mamma!” Came a resounding chorus. 

\--

By the time midday rolled around, Moomin was exhausted. He was used to this kind of work, but still his shoulders ached from all the reaching and carrying, his legs grew weary from standing for so long, and the sun beat down oppressively, the leaves of the orchard doing little to keep them cool. When Mamma finally called them in to head back to the house for lunch, he was filled with pure relief. 

Lunch was a simple spread of sandwiches, a table set out on the lawn in the shadow of the house. Sniff and two of the younger Mymbles, seemingly unbothered by their morning’s hard work, were running around the grass squirting each other with water bottles, laughing and yelling. Moomin loaded up a plate with an assortment of different sandwiches, looking around for a place to sit where he wouldn’t get accidentally splashed. 

Snufkin, seeming to have the right idea, sat on the porch steps with his plate balanced on his knees as he stayed far away from the crossfire. Moomin smiled, walking over to meet him. “Mind if I join you?”

Snufkin shook his head, scooting across to make room for Moomin to sit. 

“So, how’s your first day of cherry picking going?” Moomin asked, taking a bite of a delightful cheese and lettuce sandwich. 

“It’s hard work,” Snufkin said simply, taking a moment to chew his own sandwich. “But I don’t mind it. And you?”

“Mm, I’m a bit sore. Mamma said I could have the afternoon off from my regular chores today, which is nice.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m not sure.” Moomin hummed, looking over the backyard where My and Poppy had joined in on the water fight. “Might go for a walk, get a little peace and quiet. That song My was singing is gonna be stuck in my head forever if I don’t get some space.”

Snufkin gave a little smile, hidden behind his sandwich. “I was thinking the same thing. Shall we go together?”

Moomin smiled. “I’d like that.”

The pair finished their lunch before taking off down the driveway, meeting the creek that flowed underneath the bridge. They followed it upstream, towards the forest where there’d be ample shade to keep them cool. The further they walked the wider the creek got, the gentle sound of running water calling them into the cool. Moomin flapped the hem of his shirt, billowing air onto his skin. “Should have brought my swimmers down.”

Snufkin looked at Moomin for a few seconds, his expression clouded by thought. “I mean, we don’t need swimmers.”

Suddenly, Snufkin pulled his shirt over his head, revealing the black binder he wore underneath it. Moomin turned his head politely as he began to remove that too, only looking back when he heard the splash of Snufkin jumping into the water. There was a look of pure relief on his face as the cool water ran over his skin, right up to his shoulders. “You coming in?”

“Snufkin! You shouldn’t just dive into unfamiliar water like that!” Moomin scolded, but he removed his shirt, shorts and shoes all the same, taking the much more sensible route of wading into the water, finding the familiar rocks and logs along the bottom to guide him into the deeper water with Snufkin. “You have no idea what’s on the bottom, you could hurt yourself!”

“I know this place pretty well, I’ve been swimming here for months.” Snufkin dunked his head under the water briefly to better comb his hair back from his face. “I used to camp just a little ways over there.”

“Right, right…” Moomin lost his train of thought, watching the rivulets of water stream down Snufkin’s face and shoulders as he pushed back his hair. He sank lower in the water, doing his best not to look at Snufkin. He really wanted to look at Snufkin. 

Snufkin seemed unbothered, perfectly content to stand on his underwater perch and watch the sway of the trees above them. Moomin couldn't help but watch the peaceful, content look on his face. It made his chest feel funny, and he wasn't sure what to do about it. 

So he splashed Snufkin. 

Snufkin squealed, the surprise knocking him into the water where he emerged a moment later, his pushed-back hair now plastered to his forehead. He wore an expression somewhere between annoyance and amusement, staring at Moomin for a few moments before splashing Moomin back. “What was that for?” He laughed, moving into a defensive stance.

“I’unno.” Moomin shrugged, shoving a wave of water towards Snufkin. “You looked kinda out of it.” 

“I was just enjoying the scenery!” Snufkin slammed his fists down onto the water, splashing more water in Moomin’s direction. 

“Sorry!” Moomin laughed, holding his arms up in defence. “Truce?”

“Truce.” Snufkin held his hand out of the water, and when Moomin went to shake it, Snufkin pulled him from his careful perch.

Moomin was a sure swimmer and it didn’t take him long to find his feet again, balancing on his tiptoes underwater to keep his head above. “Not cool!”

“Revenge.” Snufkin smirked. 

The new rock Moomin had found to stand on brought him closer to Snufkin than before, their faces barely inches apart. He could see droplets of water clinging to Snufkin’s eyelashes, his dark eyes glowing warm amber from the sun’s reflection in the water. Their gazes met, and Moomin felt as if his chest would burst open. 

In a slight panic he pushed off his perch, paddling his way back to the bank. “Awfully tiring, all this swimming, after working so hard all morning. Might just… take a break.” 

Snufkin nodded, turning his head. “Probably wise. Should we head back?”

“Do you want to? I mean, I’ll be fine! To swim, I mean, I just… bit tired.” Moomin pulled himself out of the water, sitting down on the grass beside their discarded clothes. 

“Oh, I could stay for a bit longer, if you’re fine. It’s nice here with you.” Snufkin sounded nervous, looking up at the trees. “I mean, the house is so noisy with so many people there.”

Moomin smiled softly. “You’re right. We should stay a little while longer.”

“We should.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please follow me at [@Moominvalley-farm](moominvalley-farm.tumblr.com) on tumblr!


	9. Chapter 9

The cherry harvest was halfway through, just over a week now spent plucking perfect red fruit. The work was hard, but Snufkin was fine with that so long as he had his afternoons to do as he pleased. He’d take walks with Moomin or by himself, getting as much time as he could away from the noise of the farmhouse. 

Today was a break in routine, waking early not for the harvest, but for the market. Last night Mymble had taken her siblings and Sniff back into town to spend some time with their respective families for a day before returning to finish harvesting the rest of the cherries. This meant Snufkin could enjoy a nice, quiet morning without having to fight for his right to eat a bit of toast with jam.

The markets were set up in a sports field in the middle of town, creating almost a miniature village filled with lanes and alleys of local farmers, gardeners, craftspeople, buskers and even food vendors handing out tasty treats. While Mamma, Pappa and Moomin quickly set up their stall and got to work, Snufkin was happy to take a seat in the tray of the truck watching people passing by. Some were clearly locals, having fond little chats with the Moomins, while some were well-dressed out-of-towners carrying silly-looking dogs rather than letting them walk on the ground. There were even a few faces Snufkin recognised from his time living in the valley.

Two of those faces were approaching now, their arms joined as they ran for the stall.

"Moooooomin!" Snorkmaiden cried, squeezing herself behind the stall to give him a big hug. "Oooh, it's good to see you again! You never have time for me this time of year!"

"I have to do my job," Moomin laughed, returning the hug. "You're always welcome to come help out on the farm!"

"You know my brother would die without me, besides I'm too pretty for hard labour." Snorkmaiden flipped her sky-blue hair over her shoulder. "But anyway! Come hang out! It's fine if you ditch, right? Mamma, can Moomin come hang out with me and Sniff?"

Mamma smiled at Snorkmaiden's excitement, nodding. "Pappa and I have the stall covered. Have some fun with your friends."

"Don't I get a say in this??" Moomin cried, but Snorkmaiden already took his hand, pulling him off into the marketplace with Sniff trailing after them. 

"You don't have to stay here either, Snufkin," Mamma turned to look at him, giving him that warm maternal smile she always did. "Just make sure you come back before the market closes. You've got your wages, right?"

"Uh, yes." Snufkin patted his pocket, double checking that the little zipper pouch Mamma had made to be his wallet was still there. "I might take a walk then, if that's okay."

"Have fun!" Mamma waved Snufkin off as he left the stall, walking off in the opposite direction from Moomin and his friends. 

It wasn't that Snufkin didn't like Moomin's friends - they were perfectly nice people, even if Snorkmaiden was self-absorbed and Sniff didn't know when to stay quiet. He felt out of place with them, like their little trio was a puzzle that had already been solved. He didn't mind. He liked his solitude, and he liked to explore as he pleased. 

He passed a stall selling homemade cakes, one of those scammy essential oil businesses and someone selling an abundance of bromeliads on his way to the outskirts of the market, coming to the edge of the field. He stopped briefly to buy a fresh-squeezed lemonade from a nice old lady to keep himself cool before wandering out onto the streets. 

Snufkin was familiar with the town of Moomin Valley, both from his time before and after living at the farm. He liked the quaint cobbled streets, the gardens with boxes of bright flowers, and the friendly nature of the townsfolk. As he walked along the footpath he heard the distinct sound of spray paint. Curiosity burning, he followed his ears and turned a corner into the alley beside the bakery to find My, bandanna tied over her face and nose as she tagged the wall. 

My looked up at the sound of footsteps, turning back to her work once she identified Snufkin. And what a piece of work it was - despite being half finished, Snufkin could see the shapes coming together of a great warrior figure, red paint dripping from a blade clutched in her hands. “Cool,” He commented softly, taking a sip of his lemonade. “Didn’t know you could paint.”

“Well maybe you should have asked about me instead of just letting me interrogate you. You’re not too good at this making friends business.” My pulled her bandanna off her face, setting the can of paint down with the other assorted colours she’d been using. “What are you doing here anyway? Surprised you’re not joined at the hip with that great big lump of dough.”

“You mean Moomin? No, I wanted some time alone.” Snufkin shrugged. “What about you? Aren’t you going to spend your day off with the rest of your family?”

“I’m sure you’ve got some poor Orphan Annie story, but having a big family ain’t all it’s cracked up to be, pal. I’m just glad to have a breather after sharing a room with four of them since I came to help you fuckers with the harvest. Can I have your lemonade?”

Snufkin looked at the half-drunk beverage in his hand for a moment before passing it to My, who looked a little surprised that it worked. She drained the cup before returning to her paints, sorting through them for the right colour. Curious, Snufkin took a seat on the opposite side of the alley to watch as she worked. 

Bandanna over her face again, My returned to spraying the wall, adding more to her mural. She worked with a practised ease, her whole body moving with the spray can in her hand as she added the shape of mountains and rivers of what Snufkin could only assume was blood to the background. She swapped rapidly between cans, bringing her vision to life until she suddenly stopped, stepping back to soak in her work. She frowned, finding something unsatisfactory.

"Oi, you're tall."

Snufkin looked down at himself. "Not particularly."

"Taller than _me_. Give me a boost, I need to get higher."

Snufkin didn't have any particular objection to such things - he wasn't very strong, but My wasn't very big. He moved towards the mural, kneeling down so My could stand on his shoulders. Her heavy boots hurt, but he could feel an energy coming from her, chaotic and determined. He wanted to see where this would go. 

"Oh, this is _perfect_! Cheers, Snuff." My shook one of her cans, continuing to add to her mural. Snufkin made an ideal partner too, swapping out cans and moving from side to side at her request, all the while keeping a firm grip on her ankles. He marvelled at her work, the ease at which she seemed to be able to visualise paint hitting brick, creating something incredible where there was once nothing. 

The base of the mural was coming together, violent and passionate and perfectly My, when someone else entered the alleyway. Blue uniform, sturdy hat and a cold look on his face - this police officer did not look too pleased. “Miss Mymble, I’ve told you a thousand times to stop-- GET BACK HERE!!” 

Before the officer could dare to do anything, Snufkin scrambled to leave the alleyway. My dropped down to sit on Snufkin’s shoulders, legs tight around his chest as she cackled, twisting around to flip off their pursuer. At least Snufkin was nimble, even with My on top of him, running through twists and turns of the streets and lanes of Moomin Valley, doing his best to shake off their pursuer. His goal was in sight - the treeline just outside town! He knew the woods well, knew he could climb a tree faster than a bolt of lighting, knew that they’d definitely lose him there. 

As soon as his shoes met soft earth instead of hard pavement his strategy changed, swapping his swervy path for something more direct towards the darker parts of the woods. My clung to his head now, ducking down to make sure she didn’t get hit in the face with any stray branches. 

Eventually the sound of the police officer's shouts faded to nothing behind the birdsong and the wind in the trees. Filled with sweet relief and adrenaline coursing through his veins, Snufkin fell to the forest floor below, laughing as he caught his breath. "Oh! It's been so long since I've had such a good chase!" He panted.

My stood above him, a pleased grin on her face. "Not bad, Snuff. You've got a good pair of legs on you."

"Oh, it's not much." Snufkin waved her off, still breathing heavily. "Does that happen often?"

"Yeah. No one in this town appreciates my art." My sat down beside Snufkin, picking at her teeth with her fingernail. "But y'know what? You're alright."

"High praise."

"Mmhm. Hope you know the way back though. I was too busy trying not to get my eyes poked out to pay attention to where you were going."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. It'll be easy to get back to town. I wouldn't want to take the same route though, just in case that pig is still sniffing about."

“Clever." My patted Snufkin on the head. "So what's a guy like you doing all the way out here in this shitty little backwater town anyway?"

"Honestly? I just walked." Snufkin shrugged. "Wanted out of the city. Be on my own for a while."

"Sure worked out well for you, now you're living in the world's most suffocatingly loving household. Bet you hardly ever get a break!" My laughed. 

Snufkin shook his head, a fond smile on his face. "I get my time on my own when I want it."

"Even with Moomin following you around like a bad smell?"

"He doesn't smell bad. He smells like grass, and soap."

My shot Snufkin a look of confusion, slowly growing into a sly smile that made Snufkin cringe at himself. She didn’t say anything more, but he still felt the weight of his response in the air.

After a few more moments, My sprung to her feet, holding out her hand. “Lets head back into town, this part of the woods gives me the creeps.”

“You are a creep,” Snufkin retorted, taking her hand and pulling himself up to his feet. 

Their return back to town was far less chaotic than their way out of it, Snufkin remembering a path he used to take when he was camping in these very woods that would hopefully keep that police officer off their tail. Despite My’s presence and his earlier faux pas, he felt remarkably at ease. It felt natural, a memory of his time before coming to the beautiful valley where he now lived. He kept his hands in his pockets, a smile on his face.

“You look cheery,” My looked up at him. “You normally this happy to get chased by the cops with some weirdo?”

“It’s nice, familiar.” Snufkin chuckled softly. “I used to run with someone kind of like you before.”

“They weren’t a Mymble, were they? I wouldn’t be surprised if Mum had some other kids somewhere else, she’s pretty loose like that. Actually lost one of us before.”

“Oh?” 

My nodded. “My little sister. The one between me and the triplets. No idea what happened, she just wandered off or something. It’d be pretty funny if you knew her.”

“I’m sure it would.”

Their conversation lulled as they reached the edge of town, My coming to a stop. "Well, I'm gonna go see if my paints are still there or if they got confiscated again. But we should hang out again, this was fun."

Snufkin nodded. "We should. I'll see you back at the farm, right?"

"Maybe." She grinned and held up her fist, which Snufkin bumped with his own. "Alright! See you, Snuff!" She waved, taking off back towards the bakery.

\--

"-- And _then_ he said it was my turn to make dinner even though I already told him I was going out with Alicia! And he wouldn’t stop pestering me about it so I just put on some instant ramen for him and left." Snorkmaiden laughed at her own antics. "And that’s how my week’s been, what about you guys? Any hot goss from the farm?”

Moomin shook his head nonchalantly, taking a bite of his hot fresh donut as he walked through the market beside his two best friends. “No, it’s been a pretty standard harvest so far. Wake up early, fight for breakfast, My throws cherries at everyone when Mamma isn’t looking…”

Unsatisfied, Snorkmaiden turned to Sniff. “What about you? What have you been doing?”

Sniff shrugged, sipping his slushie. “Besides all that, I’ve been hanging out with Marcus Mymble, he said he knows how to make fireworks and we’re gonna make a fortune selling them on the black market!”

“I thought you and Moomin would be hanging out together?” 

“No, Moomin’s been spending most of his time with Snufkin.”

Snorkmaiden whipped around to give Moomin a sly smile, making his cheeks turn red with embarrassment. “Oh, has he now?”

“Yeah, like, all the time!” Sniff continued. “After lunch they’ll take off somewhere and we usually don’t see them until dinnertime! They never invite me either."

“And what kind of things do they get up to together, hmm?” Snorkmaiden's quizzical gaze gave Moomin a once-over, analysing his every move as he squirmed. 

"We just… go for walks and stuff. You know I don't like having all the Mymble's over--" 

"-- barely half, but continue."

"Y'know, we just… hang out I guess? Please stop giving me that look."

Snorkmaiden did not wipe the mischievous smirk from her face, but instead put her arm around Moomin's shoulders as best she could with their height difference. "Not a lot of details there, bud, got anything else you'd like to share with the class?"

"There's not really any other details to share! We go for walks and talk and sit and watch the river or sometimes we swim and… yeah." Moomin shrugged, keeping his eyes fixed on the ground in hopes it would make him harder to read. “Not much exciting.”

“So why don’t you invite Sniff?” Snorkmaiden asked.

“I love being included!” Sniff added.

Moomin thought hard over his answer, feeling his friends staring at him intensely. “I just… I… Look, I’ll invite you next time, alright? I think Snufkin wants to go fishing sometime.”

“Fishing! Oooh, that could be fun!” Sniff clapped his hands together in excitement. “We should wait ‘til next weekend, then we can bring the fish to market and sell it! Do you think your parents would let us use their stall? Dad doesn’t want me selling living things at the shop anymore. Or like, recently dead things. Taxidermy is fine.”

Moomin sighed. “I don’t think cherries and fresh fish go together. Besides, isn’t it nicer just to eat it? Snufkin’s been telling me about this seafood stew he’d make when he was out camping and I’m really excited to try it. It would be a waste to just sell the fish!”

“But when you sell things you get money! And I get one step closer to being a bitcoin billionaire!” Sniff insisted. “And when I’m rich, I’ll buy you all the fresh fish you could ever want!”

“I don’t want fresh fish when you’re a billionaire, I want fresh fish that I catch with Snufkin.”

“I think you want to catch something else~” Snorkmaiden giggled, poking Moomin’s flushed cheek. “You blush so easily, you know?”

“Oh shut it!” Moomin swatted her hand away. “I like fishing, Pappa and I used to go out all the time before he got bogged down in writing his memoirs, it’ll be nice to do it again.”

“I bet you’d like to get bogged down in something--”

“Lucy!” Moomin scowled down at her.

“Alvin.” She retorted, folding her arms. “Look, I’m just saying, I know what’s going on. I’m gay too, I know all about the pining and yearning and stuff. I just wanna help!”

“You aren’t helping.” Moomin turned his head away. “And I’m not _pining_ or _yearning_.”

“Oh, you so are!” Snorkmaiden smacked his shoulder. “Look, I know exactly what it’s like, you’re just trying to deny your feelings because crushing on the same gender is an absolute nightmare of navigating that horrible “does she like me as a friend and I’m getting my hopes up, or are we actually flirting?” and it’s just awful. Let me help, please.”

“Look, I don’t… I’m not flirting, and Snufkin isn’t either. I don’t even know if he’s into boys anyway! We don’t talk about that kind of thing.”

Snorkmaiden laughed. “Honey, he’s gay as hell. And he’s got a thing for you.”

“He doesn’t! He didn’t… say anything, did he?” Moomin’s curiosity got the better of him, looking down at Snorkmaiden as he tried to keep his hopes restrained.

“He didn’t need to! That day at the beach, he was just watching you the whole time.”

Moomin’s heart fluttered at the thought. “That could mean anything! I’m the only person there he knew!”

“Well, there were plenty of other people to watch.” Snorkmaiden grabbed Moomin’s arm, pulling him to a stop so she could properly look him in the eye. “Moomin, can you honestly tell me that you haven’t had any kind of romantic thoughts about Snufkin?”

Moomin had many romantic thoughts about Snufkin, all of which suddenly rushed into his head. The thought of running his fingers through Snufkin’s hair, spending hours gazing into those beautiful brown eyes as he listened to Snufkin’s music, even maybe getting to kiss him… Flustered and defeated, Moomin nodded. “Maybe… Maybe a few.”

Screeching with joy, Snorkmaiden launched herself into Moomin’s arms. “I knew it! I was right! Oooh, I got you all figured out, you big marshmallow! I swear, I’m gonna make him fall in love with you!”

“Please don’t.” Moomin cringed.

“No, I’m gonna.” Snorkmaiden patted his cheek gently. “I’m gonna get you everything you deserve, Moomin.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am So Soft For Friendships!
> 
> Follow me at moominvalley-farm.tumblr.com and ask me questions!!


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